Truck-fork



(No Modl.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. J. MEHLENBECK.

TRUCK PORK.

,278. Patented Mar. 23, 1897.

WITNESSES: WW

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ALBERT J. MEHLENBECK, OF GASSELTON, NORTH DAKOTA.

TRUCKJORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 579,278, dated March 23, 1897.

Application filed April 10, 1896.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT J. MEHLEN- BECK, residing at Oasselton, in the county of Cass and State of North Dakota, have invented a new and Improved Truck-Fork, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improved truck-fork for stable and yard use, its special purpose being to conveniently and easily collect and carry manure, dirt, &c., to a suitable dumping-place.

The invention can also be employed to gather hay and the like in a quick and easy manner. I

The object of the invention is to providea fork of this kind which can be manipulated by one man and one which can be wheeled about from place to place, thus virtually making a combination gatherer and carrier.

Another object is to provide a fork in connection with a suitable truck-frame, which fork can be adjusted to any desired angle by the operator.

Another object is to provide a fork which can be raised or lowered, and a still further object is to provide a fork which can be adj usted both as to its angle and height at one and the same time.

Another object is to provide a truck-fork in which all of the parts shall be of cheap and simple construction and easily assembled, and a still further object is to provide a truck-fork in which all of the parts shall be arranged in the most convenient and substantial manner.

. \Vith these various objects in view and such others as may hereinafter appear my invention consists in the peculiar construction of the several parts and their novel combination or arrangement, all of which will be fully described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure lis a view showing the invention in use. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section showing the fork lowered. Fig. 3 is a similar View showing the fork raised. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view.

In carrying out my invention I employ a main frame A, supported upon a suitable Serial No. 537,001. (No model.)

wheeled truck B, said truck being arranged adjacent to the forward end of the frame. This frame consists of the side pieces a and rear cross-piece or handle a, and the truck comprises a bolster b, axle Z), and wheels 19 The fork 0 comprises the head-piece o, the prongs c, projecting forwardly therefrom, and the standards 0 extending upward from said head piece, said standards being arranged in the bifurcated ends of the side pieces a and held therein against forward movement by means of cross pins or bolts D. The rear sides of the standards are provided with rack-teeth E, which are engaged by the pinions F, mounted upon the ends of a shaft G, journaled upon the upper faces of the side pieces, the bifurcation in the ends being sufficiently long to permit the rotation of said pinions therein. In case the standards are made of iron the rack-teeth will of course be made integral, but when the standards are of wood the rack-teeth are attached in the form of toothed bars. The standards are connected at their upper ends by means of a cross member II.

The standards are pressed rearward to hold the rack-teeth and pinion in engagement by means of spring-bars I, said bars being at tached at the upper ends to upper portion of fork-frame, and in practice I prefer to bend the ends of said bars over the cross member II and attach them thereto. The ends of said bars are free, spring outward, and press against the cross pins or bolts D, thereby holding the standards well up into the bifurcated ends and keeping the teeth and pinions in engagement.

A cable K is attached to the head-piece of fork, extends over a roller K journaled be tween the forward ends of side pieces, and connects with a drum K mounted upon a shaft K journaled near the rear end of main frame and provided with a handdcver K, which lever is locked in its adjusted position by means of notched segment or bar K attached to one of the side pieces of the main frame.

By means of the cable, drum, and lever the fork can be raised or lowered, as desired, as shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, and the rack-teeth and pinions serve as guides to facilitate said movement.

It is also an object of this invention to adjust the angle of the fork, and this I accomplish by means of a rod L, which is pivotally connected to the top of the fork-frame and extends rearward within reach of the operator. In practice I prefer to connect the rod L to a bracket L, attached to cross member H, and the rear end works in a cross-beam L attached to the main frame near rear end, said cross-beam being cut out, as shown at Z, to receive the rod, and carries a locking plate Z, adapted to engage the series of notches l produced in the under side of the rod. The rod is held in place in the crosspiece by means of a suitable keeper-pin Now by drawing the rod back the prongs of the fork are raised, said frame turning upon the pinion-shaft as a fulcrum.

The prongs of the fork are attached to the forward face of the head-piece, but at the end of said head-piece I attach guard-prongs c to the upper face, the purpose of said guard-prongs being to provide sides to the fork and prevent the load slipping from the sides.

Guard-plates M are attached to side pieces to prevent lateral movement of the pinionshaft.

Now in operation the fork is adjusted any desired height, the forward end thrown down, and the fork pushed into the manure or other material to be carried, it being understood that one man manipulates the device from the rear by means of suitable handles. The rod is then pulled rearward, tilting the fork and shaking the load from the front end of fork to rear. The front end is then lowered and pushed in again, and these operations continued until the fork is full. The entire fork and frame is then raised by cable, drum, and lever, and the load can be wheeled to any place desired. In order to dump the load, the rod is unlocked and the weight throws the load. The parts are then returned to their proper positions and the operations repeated as desired.

It will thus be seen that I provide a truck which is so balanced that it can be easily operated by one man, both in loading and carrying, and it will be noted that the fork can be adjusted, as regards height and inclination, at the same time or at different times, and it will also be not-iced that all of the operative mechanism is controlled by hand devices within reach of the operator.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination with the main frame and truck, of the fork-frame, consisting of the head-piece, prongs and the upwardly-extending standards, said standards having rack-teeth upon their rear faces, the pinions mounted upon the main frame and adapted to engage said rack-teeth, the operating-rod, connected with the upper ends of the standards, the rear end of said operating-rod having a series of notches and the locking-plate carried upon the main frame and adapted to engage one of the notches of the operatingrod substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination of the main frame and truck, of the fork comprising the head-piece, the prongs, an operating-standard, the forward ends of the mainframe being bifurcated and in which the upright standards are arranged, the pinions mounted upon the main frame, the rack-teeth upon the rear face, of the upright standards, the spring-bars carried by the standards upon their forward faces and adapted to engage the cross-pins carried in the ends of the side members of the main frame whereby the rack-teeth of the standards are held in engagement with the pinion, the cable connected to the forkframe at its forward end and connected at its rear end to a drum carried upon the main frame and the operating rod or lever connected with the fork-frame and extending rearwardly within reach of the operator whereby the inclination of the fork is adjusted as desired substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination with the main frame and truck, of the fork-frame comprising the head-piece, the prongs, the upright standards and connecting cross-pins, the standards being arranged in the bifurcated ends of the side members, of the main frame, said standards having rack-teeth upon their rear faces, spring-bars upon their forward faces, the cross-pins carried at the forward ends of the bifurcated members and against which spring-bars press, the pinions carried upon the main frame and adapted to engage the rack-teeth, the elevating-cable connected to the fork-frame, the operating-drum to which the said cable is connected, the operating rod or lever connected to the top of the forkframe, the rear end of said operating rod or lever having a series of notches produced therein and the locking-plate carried upon the main frame and adapted to engage one of the series of notches substantially as shown and described.

ALBERT J. MEIILENBECK.

\Vitnesses:

F. H. CARTER, F. G. SLocUM. 

